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enWashington Week on Human Rights: March 2, 2015http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/washington-week-human-rights-march-2-2015
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Monday, March 2, 2015 - 5:12pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Washington Week on Human Rights: March 2, 2015</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-campaign field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/campaigns/bankrupt-slavery" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Bankrupt Slavery: Disrupting the Business of Human Trafficking</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/campaigns/close-guantanamo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Close Guantanamo</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/guantanamo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Guantanamo</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/topics/lgbt" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">LGBT</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/refugee-protection" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Refugee Protection</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-media field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div id="file-857" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><h2>Top News</h2>
<p><strong>GUANTANAMO</strong> This week, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee to discuss Pentagon funding. Among the questions the committee should raise is whether the Pentagon has provided adequate resources to carry out the president’s plan to shutter the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There are currently 122 detainees at Guantanamo, and about half of those remaining have been cleared for transfer by U.S. intelligence and security agencies. Human Rights First has issued a blueprint, “<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/how-close-guantanamo">How to Close Guantanamo</a>” detailing steps the administration should take to meet the president’s goal of shuttering the facility before the end of his second term.</p>
<p><strong>REFUGEE PROTECTION</strong> Vice President Biden will travel to Central America early this week to meet with the presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, and the president of the Inter-American Development Bank to discuss the humanitarian crisis driving migration from Central America to the United States. Back in the United States, the administration is dealing with this humanitarian crisis by housing women and children who are fleeing the region’s violence in immigration jails. Human Rights First is urging the administration to improve its treatment of Central American women and children who were detained at the southern border. The United States should stop detaining families with children and ensure that these women and children receive fair proceedings to determine if they qualify for asylum or other protection in the United States. Human Rights First’s fact sheet “<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/how-manage-increase-families-border">How to Manage the Increase in Families at the Border</a>” details steps the United States should take to protect refugees deserving of U.S. protection.</p>
<p><strong>LGBT ENVOY</strong> Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry named Randy Berry to serve as the nation’s first-ever Special Envoy for Human Rights of LGBT Persons. The special envoy will be tasked with advancing the State Department’s initiatives to protect the human rights of LGBT people, responding to discrimination and violence against LGBT people, and building partnerships with LGBT activists around the world. Human Rights First has advocated for the appointment of a special envoy for the human rights of LGBT people, urging President Obama to build on his administration’s progress in advancing equality by creating this position.</p>
<h2>Quote of the Week</h2>
<p>“Defending and promoting the human rights of LGBT persons is at the core of our commitment to advancing human rights globally – the heart and conscience of our diplomacy. That’s why we’re working to overturn laws that criminalize consensual same-sex conduct in countries around the world. It’s why we’re building our capacity to respond rapidly to violence against LGBT persons, and it’s why we’re working with governments, civil society, and the private sector through the Global Equality Fund to support programs advancing the human rights of LGBT persons worldwide.”</p>
<p><em>—Secretary of State John Kerry during his remarks announcing Randy Berry as the first-ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons</em></p>
<h2>We're Reading</h2>
<p>In a piece for <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/233951-senate-bills-aim-to-direct-much-needed-resources-to-the">The Hill</a> former Representative Dan Lungren offered support for two anti-trafficking bills being considered in the Senate, the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act and the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Lungren is an ambassador for Human Rights First’s campaign to disrupt the business of modern slavery. Learn more <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/campaigns/bankrupt-slavery">here</a>.</p>
<p>​Last week, as reported by <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/02/27/state-department-recognizes-first-special-envoy-for-lgbt-rights">U.S. News &amp; World Report</a>, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the appointment of Randy Berry to the post of Special Envoy for LGBT rights. Berry will promote the protection of the human rights of LGBT people around the world.</p>
<p>As reported by Kimberly Dvorak for the <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/judge-pohl-suspends-9-11-gitmo-terrorists-proceedings">Examiner</a>, military trial proceedings have been suspended for five of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay who are charged with masterminding the 9/11 attacks. Half of all terrorism convictions handed down from these military commissions have been overturned on appeal, demonstrating that federal courts are more efficient and better equipped to handle terrorism cases.</p>
<p>In a piece for <a href="http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/id=1202719078471/US-Must-Affirm-Leadership-Role-on-Human-Rights?slreturn=20150202093620">New York Law Journal</a>, Human Rights First’s Melissa Hooper, Ignacio Mujica, and Megan Corrarino argued that U.S. courts have an important role to play in strengthening and enforcing human rights law.</p>
<h2>We're Watching</h2>
<p>On Friday, Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down near Red Square. Over the weekend, <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/will-the-boris-nemtsov-assassination-affect-the-ukraine-conflict/">Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation”</a> to discuss the murder and how it may affect the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.</p>
<h2>On the Hill</h2>
<p><strong>Tuesday, March 3, 2015</strong></p>
<p>The House will hold a joint meeting with the Senate to receive an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</p>
<p>The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on "The President's Proposed Authorization for Use of Military Force Against ISIL and U.S. Policy, Strategy, and Posture in the Greater Middle East." Defense Undersecretary for Policy Christine Wormuth; and Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of the U.S. Central Command, will testify. 10AM, 2118 Rayburn House Office Building</p>
<p>The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on "Defense Authorization Request for FY2016 and the Future Years Defense Program." Defense Secretary Ashton Carter; and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, will testify. 2:30PM, 216 Hart Senate Office Building</p>
<p>The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Immigration and the National Interest Subcommittee hearing on "Oversight of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Ensuring Agency Priorities Comply with the Law." Joseph Moore, CFO of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; Donald Neufeld, associate director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Service Center Operations Directorate; and Dan Renaud, associate director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Field Operations Directorate, will testify. 2:30PM, 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday, March 4, 2015</strong></p>
<p>The House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee hearing on the Defense Department budget. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey; and Defense Undersecretary/Comptroller Mike McCord will testify. 10AM2359 Rayburn House Office Building</p>
<h2>Around Town</h2>
<p><strong>Monday March 2, 2015</strong></p>
<p>The Atlantic Council will hold a discussion on "The Future of the Fight against ISIL."The event will featureSpecial Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL and retired Marine Corps Gen. John Allen; and Fred Kempe, president and CEO of The Atlantic Council. 5PM, Atlantic Council, 1030 15th Street NW, 12th Floor, Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>Politico will host a Playbook discussion That will feature Mike Allen, Politico's chief White House correspondent, with Senior Advisor to the President Dan Pfeiffer about policy. They will discuss politics and the news of the day. 5:30PM, The W Hotel, 515 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C.</p>
<p><strong>Tuesday, March 3, 2015</strong></p>
<p>The Heritage Foundation and the McCain Institute will host a discussion on "Combating Human Trafficking: Evaluating the Roles of Government and Civil Society." The event will Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.; Holly Burkhalter, vice president of government relations and advocacy at the International Justice Mission; Tom Kelly, deputy vice president in the Department of Policy and Evaluation at the Millennium Challenge Corporation; Olivia Enos, research assistant at Heritage; Cindy McCain, member of the Human Trafficking Advisory Council at The McCain Institute; and Lisa Curtis, senior fellow for South Asia at Heritage. 12PM, Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Lehrman Auditorium, Washington, D.C.</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday, March 4, 2015</strong></p>
<p>The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) will host a Statesman Laureate Lecture on "European and International Security: Countering Violent Extremism and Foreign Policy Aggression." The event will feature former Prime Minister of Spain Felipe Gonzalez; John Hamre, president and CEO of CSIS; and former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, counselor and trustee at CSIS. 9AM, CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Second Floor Conference Center, Washington, D.C.</p>
<p><strong>Thursday, March 5, 2015</strong></p>
<p>Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs will hold a discussion on "After the Paris and Copenhagen Attacks: Muslim Minorities and the Future of Democracy in Europe." The event will feature Thomas Banchoff, vice president for global engagement at Georgetown; Ebrahim Moosa, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Notre Dame; Jocelyne Cesari, senior fellow at the Berkley Center; and Nathan Lean, director of research for the Pluralism, Diversity and Islamophobia Project in the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown. 4PM, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Copley Formal Lounge, Washington, D.C.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/brenda-bowser-soder">Brenda Bowser Soder</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 22:12:35 +0000fordk15856 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgHouse Judiciary Committee Should Reject Bills that Undermine U.S. Protection of Refugees, Childrenhttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/press-release/house-judiciary-committee-should-reject-bills-undermine-us-protection-refugees
<div class="field field-name-field-resource-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/immigration-detention" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Immigration Detention</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/topics/refugee-protection" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Refugee Protection</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>Washington, D.C.</em>—Human Rights First today urged members of the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security to reject the Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act (HR 1153) and the Protection of Children Act (HR 1149). The subcommittee is due to markup the proposed bills this week and, if passed, the proposed legislation would&nbsp;severely undermine the United States’ commitment to refugees by sending those with legitimate fears of persecution back to dangerous circumstances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“These proposed bills would block&nbsp;refugees from U.S.&nbsp;protection and return&nbsp;children and families to violence, persecution, and grave harms,” said Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer.&nbsp;“These proposals are completely inconsistent with the American ideal of&nbsp;protecting the persecuted. We urge the subcommittee to reject these bills that would eviscerate&nbsp;the United States’ legacy as a global leader in protecting refugees."</p>
<p>The Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act would lead to the deportation of legitimate refugees with well-founded fears of persecution, leave others in immigration detention for months and put children at risk of return to trafficking, death, and persecution in their home countries. Human Rights First expressed its strong opposition to prior&nbsp;versions of the bills in a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/hearing-interior-immigration-enforcement-legislation">statement</a>&nbsp;submitted for the record earlier this month, expressing concern that passage of the bills would&nbsp;make it harder for those fleeing persecution and torture to file for asylum in the United States, a process already fraught with obstacles.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among many changes to the law, these proposed pieces of legislation would:</p>
<ul>
<li>Raise the expedited removal screening standard for those seeking this country’s protection at the border to an unduly high standard;</li>
<li>Appear to prevent arriving asylum seekers who have passed the credible fear screening process from being paroled from immigration detention;</li>
<li>Block access to U.S. asylum for refugees fleeing persecution in many cases where&nbsp;they transit through another country;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Overturn provisions in the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) that protect children from return to traffickers or persecution;</li>
<li>Drastically narrow the definition of an “unaccompanied child”; and</li>
<li>Subject unaccompanied children to the arbitrary one-year asylum filing deadline bar.</li>
</ul>
<p>Human Rights First&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/hearing-interior-immigration-enforcement-legislation">recommends</a>&nbsp;that Congress take&nbsp;steps to strengthen the asylum system, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Increase immigration court staffing by at least&nbsp;300 judge&nbsp;teams to address removal hearing delays and eliminate hearing backlog;</li>
<li>Increase asylum office staffing to address backlogs and provide timely referrals into removal proceedings;</li>
<li>End the detention of children and their families, and effectively implement parole and release procedures;</li>
<li>Use cost-effective alternatives to detention rather than more detention;</li>
<li>Support legal orientation programs and access to counsel measures that improve fairness and efficiency of the immigration system; &nbsp;</li>
<li>Utilize multiple existing anti-fraud tools; and</li>
<li>Implement the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommendations to protect&nbsp;those fleeing religious and other forms of persecution and request an&nbsp;updated USCIRF study.</li>
</ul>
<p>For more information contact Corinne Duffy at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DuffyC@humanrightsfirst.org">DuffyC@humanrightsfirst.org</a>&nbsp;or 202-370-3319.</p>
<p><em>Resources:</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Fact Sheet:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/asylum-reform-and-border-protection-act-would-return-persecuted-refugees-and-children">Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act Would Return Persecuted Refugees and Children to Danger</a></li>
<li>Letter:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/letter-president-obama-asylum">Coalition Letter Urging President Obama to End Detention of Children and Families at the Border</a></li>
<li>Fact Sheet:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/how-manage-increase-families-border">How to Manage the Increase in Families at the Border</a>.</li>
<li>Blueprint:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/how-protect-refugees-and-prevent-abuse-border">How to Protect Refugees and Prevent Abuse at the Border</a></li>
<li>Letter:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/coalition-letter-urging-president-obama-protect-children-border">Coalition Letter Urging President Obama to Protect the Children at the Border</a></li>
</ul>
</div></div></div>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 19:32:18 +0000margolisme15855 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgGuantanamo Review Hearings Continue, but Too Slowlyhttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/guantanamo-review-hearings-continue-too-slowly
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Monday, March 2, 2015 - 1:48pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-campaign field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/campaigns/close-guantanamo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Close Guantanamo</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Guantanamo Review Hearings Continue, but Too Slowly</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/due-process" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Due Process</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/topics/guantanamo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Guantanamo</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/prosecuting-terrorism" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Prosecuting Terrorism</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/topics/torture" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Torture</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Tomorrow, we’ll see the latest hearing in the slow-moving Periodic Review Board (PRB) process at the prison at Guantanamo Bay. The process, created by President Obama in 2011, reviews the cases of detainees designated for indefinite detention or possible prosecution to determine if they’re a continuing threat to the United States or if they could be transferred. Most of the detainees have been in prison for more than a decade without charge or trial, and the PRB process is meant to provide a fairer, more intensive consideration of their cases, but its slow speed has frustrated this purpose.</p>
<p>The detainee up for consideration this week is Yemeni Mashur Abdallah, Muqbil Ahmed al Sabri, at Guantanamo since 2002. In the past he was deemed a continuing threat to the United States but declared unfit for trial for reasons the government has never explained. Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO), the military group that runs the prison, <a href="http://projects.nytimes.com/guantanamo/detainees/324-mashur-abdallah-muqbil-ahmed-al-sabri">assessed</a> that al Sabri was an active member of al Qaeda and received weapons training from the organization.&nbsp;Based on this information, in 2007, JTF-GTMO recommended that al Sabri remain detained.</p>
<p>But as we have <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/problem-jtf-gitmo-risk-standards">explained</a>, the JTF-GTMO detainee assessments are <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/new-gitmo-bill-would-stop-all-detainee-transfers-based-outdated-unreliable-assessments">inherently problematic</a> because they’re based on incomplete, outdated, and inaccurate information. A lot of the information in the assessments is <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/24/112729/wikileaks-us-intelligence-summaries.html">contradictory</a>, and several <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/02/AR2009020203337.html">federal</a> <a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2005cv1678-220">courts</a> have considered the information too unreliable to be used in habeas cases. Even <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/24/112729/wikileaks-us-intelligence-summaries.html">senior JTF-GTMO staff</a> cautioned that the information was unreliable and needed to be “adequately verified through other sources before being utilized.”&nbsp;</p>
<p>JTF-GTMO assessments include information obtained through torture, which is notoriously <a href="http://justsecurity.org/18207/torture-unreliable-inestimably-costly/">unreliable</a>, and information that otherwise came from fellow detainees, who have an incentive to make false statements to curry favor with their captors. Indeed, some of the information in al Sabri’s file was provided by detainees Abu Zubaydah and Abu Faraj al-Libi, both tortured by the CIA.</p>
<p>Al Sabri brought a <a href="http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/02/judge_finds_gitmo_de.php">habeas</a> case, only to have the D.C. District Court side with the government. The district court found that the government showed by a preponderance of the evidence that he was fighting against the United States and therefore legitimately detainable. In 2010, the Obama Administration assembled the <a href="http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/ag/legacy/2010/06/02/guantanamo-review-final-report.pdf">Guantanamo Review Task Force</a>, which performed more thorough detainee assessments. It also recommended al Sabri’s continued detention.</p>
<p>But the PRB hearing is not about al Sabri’s past conduct; it’s to determine whether he remains a threat. If the PRB finds that he is no longer a threat, he will be cleared for transfer, and given that al Sabri is Yemeni, he would most likely be transferred to a third country instead of home to Yemen (given its unclear security situation), like many of his <a href="http://projects.nytimes.com/guantanamo/country/yemen">fellow Yemeni</a> detainees.</p>
<p>Regardless of the PRB’s decision on al Sabri, it’s clear that the PRBs aren’t moving along the way they were meant to. In his <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/07/executive-order-periodic-review-individuals-detained-guant-namo-bay-nava">executive order</a> creating the PRB process, President Obama intended all reviews to be completed by March 2012, but they didn’t even start until 2013. The PRBs have held <a href="http://www.prs.mil/ReviewInformation/FullReviewpage.aspx">13 hearings for 12 detainees</a>, and so far this year, they’ve managed only one review per month and only one decision. If the hearings continue at this pace, the reviews won’t be completed until 2020.</p>
<p>One problem is the lack of resourcing. The White House should ensure that the interagency process has sufficient resources to expedite the PRBs—otherwise the delay threatens President Obama’s goal of closing the prison at Guantanamo by the end of his presidency. Human Rights First will be observing al Sabri’s PRB hearing tomorrow, and will report back on the result. In the meantime, for more information on the PRB process check out our <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/guantanamo-periodic-review-boards">fact sheet</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/adam-jacobson">Adam Jacobson</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:48:14 +0000kucherovm15854 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgTwo Senators Stand Up for Mothers and Children Seeking Asylumhttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/two-senators-stand-mothers-and-children-seeking-asylum
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Monday, March 2, 2015 - 11:41am</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Two Senators Stand Up for Mothers and Children Seeking Asylum</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/immigration-detention" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Immigration Detention</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/topics/refugee-protection" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Refugee Protection</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>In the midst of the politicized debate surrounding funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) stepped up to the plate to make strong principled statements affirming that protecting refugees is an American ideal.</p>
<p>Thousands of Central Americans crossed the southern border last year, many of them seeking asylum. Concerned groups primarily focused on the large number of unaccompanied minors, a vulnerable group in need of protection—but paid less attention to the young children that came with their mothers but were locked away in detention.</p>
<p>That’s starting to change. <a href="http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/233659-stop-locking-up-child-refugees">In an article for The Hill</a>, Blumenthal points out that the United States has often grappled with how to protect and integrate refugees into society, but became known as a beacon of freedom to the persecuted. Until recently, detaining asylum seeking families was a last resort, but now the Obama administration is going in the opposite direction. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to increase its family detention capacity from 100 beds to 3700, at high cost to the American taxpayer.</p>
<p>“The recent explosion in family detention is counter to the progress we have made and unacceptable for a nation of laws that is also a nation of immigrants. Congress must act to fix it,” Blumenthal urged. He will soon introduce legislation that compels asylum-seeker families to be released on bond, unless a judge determines they are a threat to the public or a flight risk.</p>
<p>Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) also condemned family detention when discussing the DHS funding bill: “I strongly oppose the new funding for&nbsp;family detention. Incarcerating women and children fleeing violence runs contrary to our long history as a nation that offers refuge to those most in need.” He is still prepared to vote for the bill based on other concerns.</p>
<p>Another&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/federal-court-got-it-right-detaining-mothers-and-children-deter-other-asylum-seekers-wrong">blow against family detention</a> of asylum seekers came from a recent federal court decision. It bars the administration from detaining asylum seekers purely as a deterrent to other Central Americans—which has been the policy thus far.</p>
<p>The administration should heed these senators' calls and change course so that the United States can remain a symbol of hope to all who flee persecution and violence.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/meredith-kucherov">Meredith Kucherov</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:41:48 +0000kucherovm15853 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgHouse Committee Hears Expert Testimony on How to Improve the Administration’s ISIL AUMFhttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/house-committee-hears-expert-testimony-how-improve-administration-s-isil-aumf
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Monday, March 2, 2015 - 10:06am</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>House Committee Hears Expert Testimony on How to Improve the Administration’s ISIL AUMF</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/counterterrorism" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Counterterrorism</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>and George Weber</p>
<p>Much of last week’s House Armed Services Committee hearing on President Obama’s proposed <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/aumf_02112015.pdf">Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against the Islamic State</a>&nbsp;(also known as ISIL) focused on the potential&nbsp;ground troops restriction. But two of the witnesses, Robert Chesney of University of Texas Law School, and Ben Wittes, Senior Fellow for the Brookings Institution, put the spotlight on other critical issues.</p>
<p>The administration’s proposal, Wittes said, is “significantly flawed.” Since it fails to address the 2001 AUMF—passed in response to the 9/11 attacks and used to authorize the continued “war on terror”—any limitations in the proposed ISIL AUMF are “meaningless,”&nbsp;he testified. As long as the 2001 AUMF remains in place, any ISIL AUMF would be “purely additive” to the powers the president already has to fight ISIL.</p>
<p>Additionally, both witnesses condemned Obama’s failure to include mission objectives and called for enhanced reporting requirements. The current proposal requires reports on the “specific actions” taken under the authorization every six months—“quite anemic,” according to Wittes. Chesney called for periodic disclosure of what groups are considered “associated forces” targetable under the AUMF and where, other than Iraq and Syria, it authorizes lethal force.</p>
<p>While both Wittes and Chesney criticized the administration’s proposal, they strongly support its three-year sunset clause.&nbsp;Critics claim the sunset clause predetermines that it won’t be renewed. But as Chesney explained, the true purpose of a sunset provision is to “create an occasion after a certain period of time for the authorization, if appropriate, to receive the fresh imprimatur of a Congress and a president, acting on the most recent conditions,” and if necessary, reauthorize and refine the AUMF to suit an evolving conflict.</p>
<p>Sunsetting the 2001 AUMF and the ISIL AUMF is especially needed given the disastrous over-use of the 2001 AUMF, which has degraded the rule of law. Chesney noted that the failure to reassess the 2001 AUMF has eroded perceptions of its legitimacy, generated friction and doubt, and caused unhelpful consequences for military commanders in the field. “It’s been 13 years plus since [the 2001 AUMF] was enacted,” he said, “and it is a shame that we haven’t had a past occasion where it’s become clearly refreshed.”</p>
<p>Wittes and Chesney, along with Jack Goldsmith and Matthew Waxman, co-authored a draft ISIL AUMF last November.&nbsp;It includes a three-year sunset, stronger reporting requirements, and the obligation to comply with international law regarding where force can be used.&nbsp;Their draft also folds the 2001 AUMF into the ISIL AUMF and therefore also sunsets the 2001 AUMF in 2018.</p>
<p>This draft demonstrates a bipartisan consensus among national security law experts, which is also reflected in a <a href="http://justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ISIS-AUMF-Statement-FINAL.pdf">Statement of Principles</a>&nbsp;to guide Congress on the ISIL AUMF written by another group of legal experts.&nbsp;Several of these experts also recently released a paper on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/Administration-Proposed-ISIL-AUMF.pdf">The Six Key (Missing) Elements</a>&nbsp;in the president’s proposed ISIL AUMF.</p>
<p>Congress should heed these expert voices as it continues to debate the Obama administration’s proposed ISIL AUMF.&nbsp;As Human Rights First has&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/fact-sheet-president-obamas-ISIL-AUMF02232015.pdf">advocated</a>,&nbsp;stronger reporting requirements, a sunset provision for the 2001 AUMF, and correcting its other shortfalls will strengthen both our democracy and our national security.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/heather-brandon">Heather Brandon</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 15:06:15 +0000kucherovm15852 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgUS Must Affirm Leadership Role on Human Rightshttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/press-release/us-must-affirm-leadership-role-human-rights
Fri, 27 Feb 2015 22:14:37 +0000margolisme15851 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgVoices for Equality: Clare Byarugaba http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/voices-equality-clare-byarugaba
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Friday, February 27, 2015 - 4:51pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Voices for Equality: Clare Byarugaba </h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/lgbt" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">LGBT</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-media field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div id="file-1357" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">
<h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/voices-equalityjpg">Voices of Equality.jpg</a></h2>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/blog/Voices%20of%20Equality.jpg" alt="Voices for equality" /> </div>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XUPyomDJ49E?list=UUIxHe_vWiSku3qR0f3gNjqA" width="630"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Biography&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Clare&nbsp;Byarugaba&nbsp;is an activist fighting for social justice and basic rights for marginalized populations in Uganda. Clare has served as the co-coordinator of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ugandans4rights.org/">Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law</a> and was the 2014 Oak Human Rights Fellow at Colby College. The Coalition led the fight against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in the Ugandan Parliament and Clare continues to work towards mainstreaming lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) concerns in Uganda.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>In Her Words</strong></p>
<p>"Right now, it is Uganda against homosexuals and the biggest solidarity we have is from people who respect and support the rights of LGBTI persons all over the world…International attention on Uganda is the only thing that&nbsp;will&nbsp;save us from the backlash that is going to continue to happen against the community. So we need that now—more than ever." Clare&nbsp;Byarugaba &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Blog</strong></p>
<p>In December of 2013, Uganda passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which made homosexuality in some cases punishable with life imprisonment. Anti-LGBT violence and discrimination, already on the rise, <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/report-shows-increased-violence-uganda-s-lgbt-community">skyrocketed</a>&nbsp;after the bill’s passage. “The witch hunt had already started, and now it has been legitimized by the parliament of Uganda, which is very scary,"&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/23/world/africa/uganda-anti-gay-bill/">said Clare Byarugaba at the time</a>. “We don't know how brutal the police will be now that the bill has passed. With this legitimization, it's going to get worse.”&nbsp;</p>
<p>And it did. The homophobic bill provided cover for perpetrators of bias-motivated crime, who abused with impunity. In just a little more than four months following passage of the act, 162 acts of&nbsp;violence, intimidation, and loss of property were documented in a report issued by&nbsp;Sexual Minorities Uganda. Only 19 such incidents were reported in the entirety of 2012.&nbsp;</p>
<p>After a storm of international outrage, including sanctions from the United States, Uganda’s Constitutional Court overturned the act last August on procedural grounds. The global LGBT community celebrated, fully aware the homophobic bill was likely to be reintroduced. Nevertheless, the ruling marked a significant moment for embattled LGBT groups, individuals, and families across Sub-Saharan Africa. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite the court victory, LGBT Ugandans remain vulnerable.&nbsp;Members of parliament continue to seek avenues for reintroducing the legislation, even though many argue it violates Uganda's commitments to human rights provisions within the African Charter for Human and People's Rights.&nbsp;If reintroduced, the bill would likely face no resistance. That would leave its fate in the hands of Ugandan President&nbsp;Yoweri&nbsp;Museveni who often expresses homophobic sentiments but has shown sensitivity to threats of losing international aid.&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Clare’s tireless advocacy has transcended national borders as she raises awareness of the plight of LGBT Ugandans in every corner of the globe, hoping that her words do not fall on deaf ears.&nbsp;</p>
<p>African human rights activists and civil society leaders need the support of the international community and the United States, as they are often outnumbered and ignored in their own countries. The Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons, recently created by the U.S. State Department,&nbsp;represents a renewed commitment to keeping the human rights of all LGBT people at the heart of U.S. foreign policy. The Envoy will have the opportunity to work&nbsp;closely with grassroots civil society, promoting&nbsp;the protection of human rights for all Africans.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For more info on the state of human rights for LGBT people in Africa, check out Human Rights First’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/African-Voices-for-Equality_0.pdf">African Voices for Equality Map</a>, which profiles some of the brave leaders standing up for equality and dignity for all people.&nbsp;</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/shawn-m-gaylord">Shawn M. Gaylord</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 21:51:16 +0000fordk15850 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgSenate Tackles Antisemitism in Europehttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/senate-tackles-antisemitism-europe
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Friday, February 27, 2015 - 4:34pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Senate Tackles Antisemitism in Europe</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/antisemitism" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Antisemitism</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/topics/hate-crimes" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hate Crimes</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="p1">Today the Senate introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the U.S. government to <span class="s1">confront</span>&nbsp;the rise of antisemitism in Europe. The resolution, with 54 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle,&nbsp;comes on the heels of <a href="http://www.pewforum.org/2015/02/26/religious-hostilities/"><span class="s2">new Pew Research data</span></a> showing antisemitism has reached a seven-year high. It has sometimes manifested in violence, from the terrorist attacks at a Parisian kosher market to the vandalism of Jewish gravesites.</p>
<p class="p1">While <span class="s1">some senior </span>European <span class="s1">leaders</span>&nbsp;have roundly decried antisemitism and several U.S. officials have called attention to its growing prevalence, the Senate resolution is the first action taken by Congress on the issue. The measure calls for senior-level special envoys, law-enforcement training, and better data collection—<span class="s1">recommendations Human Rights First has advanced as well.</span></p>
<p class="p1">Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/remarks-elisa-massimino-un-general-assembly-informal-session-antisemitic-violence"><span class="s2">recently spoke</span></a> before the United Nations General Assembly in its first-ever special meeting to combat antisemiti<span class="s1">c violence</span>. She highlighted that antisemitism&nbsp;is&nbsp;pr<span class="s1">omoted&nbsp;not only among an extreme segment </span>in some Muslim c<span class="s1">ommunities in Western European countries,&nbsp;but also by&nbsp;</span>far-right neo-fascist parties like Jobbik in Hungary and Golden Dawn in Greece,<span class="s1"> who are gaining strength in elections</span>. Human Rights First has also <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/us-ambassador-hungary-should-encourage-government-protect-human-rights"><span class="s2">called on the new </span><span class="s1">U.S. </span><span class="s2">ambassador to Hungary</span></a> to hold Prime Minister Viktor Orban to his promise of “zero tolerance” for antisemitism.</p>
<p class="p1">The presence of antisemitism is a threat not just to Jews but also other vulnerable minorities. Where Jews are discriminated against and bias is left to fester, more human rights abuses invariably follow. The surge of antisemitism in Europe is a grave warning sign, and Human Rights First welcomes U.S. leadership to stem its tide.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/meredith-kucherov">Meredith Kucherov</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 21:34:12 +0000kucherovm15849 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgHuman Rights First Testifies Before the New York City Council on Human Traffickinghttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/human-rights-first-testifies-new-york-city-council-human-trafficking
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Friday, February 27, 2015 - 3:47pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-campaign field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/campaigns/bankrupt-slavery" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Bankrupt Slavery: Disrupting the Business of Human Trafficking</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Human Rights First Testifies Before the New York City Council on Human Trafficking</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/human-trafficking" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Human Trafficking</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Today the New York City Council’s Committee on Immigration held an oversight hearing on labor trafficking in the domestic worker industry. <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/hearing-labor-trafficking-domestic-worker-industry-resources-victims-new-york-city">I testified</a>&nbsp;on behalf of Human Rights First about&nbsp;the need for regulations that would prevent workers from being victimized.</p>
<p>Labor trafficking is the most prevalent form of modern slavery, but is often overlooked because its victims, especially domestic workers, are harder to identify and cases can be harder to prosecute. Increased scrutiny of recruiting agencies and visa processing would help nip this practice in the bud. Additionally, a public awareness campaign would expand reporting and help communities detect trafficked domestic workers, who rarely come in contact with law enforcement or city agencies.</p>
<p>To prevent one rescued worker from being replaced by the next victim, modern slavery must be tackled with a multilateral effort across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Slavery&nbsp;is a business, with exploiters earning over $150 billion annually. Check out <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/hearing-labor-trafficking-domestic-worker-industry-resources-victims-new-york-city" >the full testimony</a> and Human Rights First’s campaign to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/campaigns/bankrupt-slavery" >disrupt the business of modern slavery</a>.&nbsp;</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/annick-febrey">Annick Febrey</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 20:47:52 +0000margolisme15848 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.orgTop 5 Things John Legend Should Know About Bahrainhttp://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/top-5-things-john-legend-should-know-about-bahrain
<div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Friday, February 27, 2015 - 1:36pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="dc:title"><h2>Top 5 Things John Legend Should Know About Bahrain</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-topic field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/topics/bahrain" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Bahrain</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>This blog is cross posted from <i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-dooley/top-5-things-john-legend_b_6770222.html">The Hufffington Post</a>:</i></p>
<p>American singer/songwriter John Legend is set to play a gig in Bahrain on Monday, March 2. Bahrain is a country that has faced ongoing instability and unrest fueled by protests for reform for over four years now. Legend&nbsp;<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/john-legend-criticised-over-bahrain-gig-over-human-rights-concerns-10073547.html" target="_hplink">says he knows</a>&nbsp;about human rights issues in the kingdom, but that as part of his "mission in life is to spread love and joy to people" he intends to play in Bahrain "regardless of my disagreements with some of their governments' policies and actions."<br />
<br />
As Legend mulls the best way to spread the love during his time in Bahrain, he might want to consider a few things:</p>
<ol>
<li>The repressive government there will try to spin his appearance as evidence of a return to "normality" after the 2011 protests. But the truth is that the protests and the repression have never gone away.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/blog/state-department-raises-cases-bahrain-medics" target="_hplink">Medics</a>&nbsp;who were famously tortured and jailed in 2011 on trumped up charges are still in prison there, along with peaceful opposition leaders and countless other people convicted for exercising their rights to peaceful expression.</li>
<br />
<li>John Legend said, "As we move this work forward, I hope to meet the many people who are peacefully struggling for freedom, justice and accountability, regardless of what country they live in, and tell them directly that I stand with them." This would be great. He should know that there are human rights activists and families of those in jail who would be eager to meet him so he can tell them directly he stands with them. One is Nabeel Rajab, president of Bahrain Center for Human Rights. Nabeel says he's happy to host Legend for coffee - assuming that is that Nabeel isn't in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/press-release/bahraini-human-rights-defender-nabeel-rajab-faces-new-threat-arrest" target="_hplink">custody again</a>&nbsp;by Tuesday after receiving a summons yesterday to appear at a police station.</li>
<br />
<li>The U.S. civil rights movement is an inspiration to many Bahraini human rights figures, not least to Zainab Al Khawaja, an expert on peaceful resistance who has studied the philosophy of Dr Martin Luther King in some depth. She is waiting to start another&nbsp;<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/press-release/bahraini-activist-zainab-al-khawaja-sentenced-three-years-jail" target="_hplink">jail sentence</a>&nbsp;after a series of peaceful protests. As Dr King said "We will have to repent ... not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people." Leading activists in Bahrain assume Legend is too smart to allow his gig to be used by the dictatorship as a cheap PR stunt and expect him to speak out publicly and clearly against the regime's abuses. Zainab tells me she's happy to meet Legend and brief him on how she sees parallels between the Bahraini human rights movement and the U.S. civil rights experience.</li>
<br />
<li>Criticizing the king in public remarks typically lands people in jail. It might be interesting to see how the government reacts if Legend tries it for himself while he's in Bahrain.</li>
<br />
<li>Many leading foreign journalists and staff of international human rights organizations have not been allowed into Bahrain for some years (myself included). I hope that Legend will take the rare opportunity he has been given to have access to the country to speak out for human rights and to highlight the lack of access for others.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Update: March 2, 2015</strong></p>
<p>While on stage in Bahrain, Legend took a moment to speak about the American civil rights movement, and to express solidarity for those in Bahrain who are working for reform and fighting for their rights. Here is an excerpt from his&nbsp;<a href="http://showmecampaign.org/news/" target="_hplink">statement</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"When you look at me, you may see the international superstar John Legend, but I am also the descendant of slaves. My grandparents and even my parents were born in a country where many of our schools were legally segregated, where many people who looked like me couldn't vote and couldn't expect to have the opportunities for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that were supposed to be the promise of America.</p>
<p>"But we fought for change. I wrote this song "Glory" for a film called Selma. That film depicts the epic struggle for civil rights, justice and equality led by Dr. Martin Luther King 50 years ago. We haven't achieved all of the goals that Dr. King fought for. We still have a long way to go. But we continue to have hope and we continue to march forward. We believe that change is possible because we have seen it happen before. Dr. King said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."</p>
<p>"A just society is one built not on fear or repression or vengeance or exclusion, but one built on love. Love for our families. Love for our neighbors. Love for the least among us. Love for those who look different or worship differently. Love for those we don't even know.</p>
<p>"We continue to fight in America to move toward this just society and we pray the same for the people of Bahrain. And for those who stand for justice, accountability, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom to organize without fear of retribution, please know that I stand with you.</p>
<p>"The struggle may not be easy. Some have already paid the ultimate sacrifice to make this vision a reality. But I believe there is a brighter future ahead. And, one day when the glory comes, it will be ours..."</p>
</blockquote>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-biography-reference field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/biography/brian-dooley">Brian Dooley</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-make-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Make Featured:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not_featured</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-washington-week field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Washington Week:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-houston-blog field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Houston Blog:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 18:36:22 +0000margolisme15846 at http://www.humanrightsfirst.org